Schodack Aviation

Winter Operations: Pre-Heat and Oil

Pre-Heat

When the morning or overnight termperature has fallen below 30 degrees, please pre-heat the aircraft prior to the first flight of the day.

In our hangar, we have a pre-heater with a propane bottle for pre-heating our aircraft. Instructions for running our pre-heater are on the heater: if you have any problems running it, let someone know. The airport also has a pre-heater available for use, which is kept in the airport maintenance hanger.

When putting pre-heater hoses into the cowling, using rags or other insulators under the hoses (or positioning them above any surfaces) will prevent the cowling from being burned.

Flight instruments are also subject to the cold: briefly pre-heating the cabin may help reduce wear.

Using the Airport Pre-Heater

The following steps should be followed when using the airport pre-heater:

  1. First, unplug the charger and take the pre-heater to the aircraft.
  2. Second, at the airplane, locate the start-switch, then,
    1. turn the gas on;
    2. set the switch to start;
    3. when the pre-heater ignites, set the switch to run.
  3. To turn the pre-heater off,
    1. set the switch to the center (OFF) position;
    2. turn the gas off.
  4. Finally, return the pre-heater to the hanger and plug the charger back in.

Pay for the use of the pre-heater, and then submit the receipt as you would with fuel receipts for credit.

Winter-Weight Oil

Oil used during the winter should be 80/40 weight, and at any time of the year remember to check the log sheet for when the next oil change is due. Notifiy the maintenance officers when it gets close: oil is changed every 25 hours; the filter is changed every 50 hours.


revised: 17 Nov 2005